Fixing clamp for anchoring a component in the hole of a support plate

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a fixing clamp for anchoring a component in a hole ( 10 ) of a support plate ( 12 ), more particularly for blind fixing a handle to the ceiling of a motor vehicle. The clamp consists of an anchoring part ( 1 ) that can be inserted into the hole ( 10 ), said anchoring part having locating strips ( 4 ) projecting outward at a right angle and a thread plate ( 5 ) configured as a separate part, said thread plate being mounted between the side walls ( 2 )of the anchoring part ( 1 ) as in a cage, and displaceably guided therein. Exapanding tabs ( 6 ) that are licated opposite each other amd punched out from the side walls ( 2 ). Said tabs are connected by bending to the locating strips ( 4 ) in the transition area from the side walls ( 2 ) of the anchoring part ( 1 ) to the locating strips ( 4 ). The free ends of hte expanding tabs ( 6 ) have edge strips ( 7 )screwing as support for the thread plate ( 5 ) in the cage area and which are bent and are oriented diagonally relative to the locating strips ( 4 ). Once a screw ( 17 ) has been screwed in the thread plate ( 5 ), said screw ( 17 ) is supported in a holding plate ( 14 ) of the component. When the screw ( 17 ) is tightened, the edge strips ( 7 ) are pressed outward by the thread plate ( 5 ) that is moving downward in such a way that the expanding tabs ( 6 ) are supported on the rear side of the edge of the hole ( 20 ).

The invention is relative to a fixing clamp for anchoring a component in a hole in a support plate, especially for the blind fixing of a handle to the ceiling of a motor vehicle.

Such fixing clamps are known, e.g., from U.S. Pat. No. 2,184,783. They usually consist of an anchoring part with locating strips projecting outward at right angles as well as of expanding tabs that are connected to a threaded plate, are located opposite each other and spread outward in such a manner by screwing a screw supported on the component into the threaded plate that the expanding tabs are supported on the back side of the edge of the hole.

It is important during the blind fixing of a handle to the ceiling of a motor vehicle that the handle be at first preassembled with the fixing clamp on the molded ceiling and it can then be completely built together with this into the upper transverse post of the car body. Known fixing clamps are poorly suited for this because they are designed only for a direct fixing in the hole of a metal plate but not for a previous preassembly in the hole of the molded ceiling, which is softer as regards its material. Moreover, the screw for tightening the expanding tabs until they are supported on the hole edge must be turned relatively frequently, which takes the worker a correspondingly large amount of time during the assembly of the handle.

The invention has the problem of simplifying the preassembly of the handle on the molded ceiling as well as the subsequent mounting on the car body by an appropriate changing of the fixing clamp. This is achieved in accordance with the present invention by designing the fixing clamp in accordance with the features of claim 1. The separate threaded plate and the relatively short dimensioning of the expanding tabs assure that the expanding tabs are pressed to the side after only a few turns of the screw and come to rest firmly on the back side of the hole edge.

The further designing of the fixing clamp according to claims 2 and 3 optimally solves the inclusion of the threaded plate in the anchoring part and in particular achieves a smooth, clean guidance of the threaded plate in the side walls.

The drawings show an exemplary embodiment of the invention to be explained in detail in the following.

FIG. 1 shows a fixing clamp composed of an anchoring part and a threaded plate in a front view.

FIG. 2 shows a lateral view of the same.

FIG. 3 shows the clamp in a top view in a section through the threaded plate along line III-III in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows the assembled fixing clamp in a perspective view.

FIG. 5 shows the assembly image of a fixing clamp preassembled in the molded ceiling and support plate with screwed-in fixing screw.

FIG. 6 shows the same assembly image after the tightening of the fixing screw and spreading out of the expanding tabs.

The fixing clamp shown in the figures serves to anchor a component in a hole 10 of a support plate 12. The clamp consists substantially of a U-shaped anchoring part 1 with two side walls 2, an upper transverse wall 3 and locating strips 4 projecting outward at right angles at the lower end of the side walls as well as of separate threaded plate 5 included between side walls 2 and transverse tabs 21, bent inward on their opposing end edges, as in a cage, which plate is guided in such a manner that it can shift.

Expanding tabs 6 are stamped out of opposing side walls 2 and are connected at the transition from side walls 2 to locating strips 4 to the latter in such a manner that they can be bent up. An edge strip 7 directed obliquely to locating strips 4 is bent at the free ends of expanding tabs 6 and functions as support for included threaded plate 5.

Threaded plate 5 can be designed as a massive plate. However, it is more advantageous in order to save material if a threaded casing 18 and two side walls 8 are formed at right angles on a relatively thin threaded plate 5 and are shiftably guided between side walls 2 of anchoring part 1. Side walls 8 of threaded plate 5 are offset to the outside in correspondence with the width of the free punch in side walls 2 and extend with offset wall parts 9 into free-punched area 22 of side walls 2 above expanding tabs 6 so that offset wall parts 9 are shiftably guided between side walls 2 in free-punched area 22.

FIGS. 5, 6 show the course of assembly during the proper use of the fixing clamp, e.g., during the blind fixing of a handle to the ceiling of a motor vehicle body. The fixing clamp is first introduced as in FIG. 5 into approximately rectangular hole 10 in molded ceiling 11 and into the identically molded hole of support plate 12 of the ceiling until contacting locating strips 4 on molded ceiling 11, during which spreading fingers 13 outwardly projecting on side walls 2 assure that the fixing bracket remains fixed on the back side of support plate 12.

Only holding plate 14 of the handle to be fastened on the ceiling is shown, that is embedded between four limiting tabs 15 projecting upward at a right angle from locating strips 4. Fixing screw 17 is run through hole 16 bored in holding plate 14 and screwed into threaded casing 18 of threaded plate 5 until threaded plate 5 rests with its contacted side edges 19 loosely on edge strips 7 of spreading tabs 6. It is also possible to preassemble the fixing clamp together with holding plate 14 of the handle and with screwed-in screw 17 into rectangular hole 10 of molded ceiling 11 first by means of spreading fingers 13 and to press them into rectangular hole 10 in support plate 12 only during the final assembly.

In FIG. 6 screw 17 has been tightened to such an extent that edge strips 7 pressed away laterally by threaded plate 5 are supported on the two side walls 8 of threaded plate 5 whereas expanding tabs 6 are firmly pressed against hole edge 20 of fixing hole 10 by contacted side edges 19 of threaded plate 5. The somewhat softer material of molded ceiling 11 is slightly compressed at the same time.

If defective handle, e.g., is to be replaced, anchoring part 1 remains in hole 10 of support plate 12 after the removal of screw 17 and of holding plate 14 and can be subsequently reused for screwing on another handle.

List of Reference Numerals

-   1 Anchoring part -   2 Side walls -   3 Transverse wall -   4 Locating strips -   5 Threaded plate -   6 Expanding tabs -   7 Edge strips -   8 Side walls -   9 Offset wall parts -   10 Fixing hole -   11 Molded ceiling -   12 Support plate -   13 Spreading fingers -   14 Holding plate -   15 Limiting tabs -   16 Hole -   17 Fixing screw -   18 Threaded casing -   19 Contacted side edges -   20 Hole edge -   21 Transverse tabs -   22 Free-punched area 

1. A fixing clamp for anchoring a component in a hole (10) of a support plate (12), consisting of an anchoring part (1) that can be inserted into the hole (10) and comprising locating strips (4) projecting outward at right angles, and consisting of opposed expanding tabs (6) that are connected to a threaded plate (5) and spread outward in such a manner when a screw (17) resting on a holding plate (14) of the component is screwed into the threaded plate (5) such that the tabs (6) are supported on the back side of the hole edge (20), characterized in that the threaded plate (5) is designed as a separate part and is encased and shiftably guided between the side walls (2) of the anchoring part (1) as in a cage, and in that the expanding tabs (6) are stamped out of the side walls (2) of the anchoring part (1), wherein they are connected at the transition from the side walls (2) of the anchoring part (1) to the locating strips (4) to the latter in such a manner that they can bend up with the latter whereas on their free ends an edge strip (7) is bent into the cage area as support for the threaded plate (5) and is directed obliquely to the locating strips (4) in such a manner that when the screw (17) is tightened, the expanding tabs (6) are pressed outward from the side edges (19) of the downward-traveling threaded plate (5) until firmly supported on the hole edge (20).
 2. The fixing clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that two side walls (8) are formed on the threaded plate (5) and are shiftably guided between the side walls (2) of the anchoring part (11).
 3. The fixing clamp according to claim 2, characterized in that the side walls (8) of the threaded plate (5) are offset to the outside in accordance with the width of the free punch in the side walls (2) of the anchoring part (1) and extend with these offset wall parts (9) into the free-punched area of the side walls (2) above the expanding tabs (6). 